Local fortified food tested to boost health of future mothers

This study tested whether adding folic acid and vitamin B12 to locally produced cereals could prevent deficiencies and improve health in teenage girls in rural Ethiopia. Researchers enrolled 472 girls aged 13-19 and provided them with fortified meals for six months. They measured changes in vitamin levels, anemia, growth, cognitive development, and mental health to see if this small-scale approach works where access to commercial fortified foods is limited.